But city GOP Chairman Steve King may be trying to spare the BOE from having to make that thorny decision. According to GOP Albany County Elections Commissioner Rachel Bledi, King has filed general objections to Portelli’s petitions.

Portelli needed just over 1,200 valid signatures to get on the ballot as an independent candidate, so if King hopes to be successful in knocking the 23-year-old out of the race, he’ll have to invalidate about 300 signatures with his specific objections, if he files them.

In other independent mayoral candidate news, Bledi also said that West Hill resident and community activist Marlon Anderson also submitted petitions to run on the Voice of the People ballot line.

But Bledi said Anderson appears to be short of the required number, which would make him 0-2 in his efforts to make the ballot this year.

9 Responses

It’s funny that time and time again, Marlon fails to grasp that you can’t just have people sign their names to petitions to be valid. Marlon, I signed this petition, just like the multiple times I signed your democratic petition. Marlon, how come you don’t do your due diligence? I told you I wasn’t a resident of the city of Albany, yet you still allowed me to sign. Why?

Twice Now I have submitted the required amount of signatures. TWICE to get on the ballot, and rather than allow what nearly 3000 people have now signed for, Me to have a place in this electorial process, the BOE of elections continues to be a obstacle in the way of the expression of the voice of the people!This necesscary exercise in political obstruction could have been avodied if Politics as usual was of Primary concern at the Board of elections. I submitted 2 VOLUMES totalling 123 pages of signatures which, at 10 per page put me well over the 1200 signature limit! the fact is we have a political process and body that is more interested in preserving and protecting the political status quo in Albany than the democratic process, a process that is regularly manipulated to prvent the vote rather than insure the vote! I call for a full investigation by the NYS board of elections into the practices of the Albany County BOE and I will officially be filing that request afterr the BOE send me their ruling on My peTition request for a independent Ballot Line!!!

It’s a disgrace the way Marlon Anderson continues to play the blame game with everything he does. If you can’t follow the instructions and follow the proper procedures stop blaming everything and everyone besides yourself. If you only received 1230 signatures which equals 123 pages why bother, why haven’t you reached the 200 pages which would prevent anyone from a easy challenge. Why not try knocking on doors instead of standing at Post office and Bus Stops where transient people are. I don’t think you are someone who I can see representing the people when you can’t do the simple and right things for yourself…As a question you opposed to Mr.Ellis at a debate, if you don’t succeed could you give the people your WORD this is the LAST time you would seek this office.